


Sleep is for wimps

by mistressterably



Series: One offs - Doctor Who related [22]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Sleep Deprivation, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 09:03:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4823153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistressterably/pseuds/mistressterably
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>filling purplemotel's tumblr prompt:  Ok, Clara decides she wants to stay awake as long as the Doctor can b/c she feels like she’s missing out & is tired of him making fun of her for sleeping. She downs tons of coffee and super strong galactic energy drinks. Eventual sleep fluff ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleep is for wimps

‘Shouldn’t you be getting to bed?’ The Doctor asked as Clara settled in with a cup of coffee to watch him set coordinates on the console.

‘Not tired actually. Figured I’d stay up here and keep you company.’ Clara said, sipping her hot drink. It was her fourth one today. 

‘It’s not like you to keep me company when we’re in flight to the next stop.’ The Doctor commented as he typed in the figures needed. His finger drifted over the screen to confirm he’d set things right. 

‘Curious to see what you get up to, that’s all.’ Clara smiled at him. 

‘Mostly tinkering. Which I’m sure I’ve told you about before. Have to do something while you’re off being human and napping.’ He referred to his habit of being annoyed by her need for sleep. ‘But if you are going to hang around, could you fetch me that tool box down over there on the work table? May as well use you while you’re about.’ 

‘Gee, thanks!’ Clara rolled her eyes, downed the rest of her coffee and got the tools in question. Standing by him as he took off one of the side panels, he asked for one tool after another. Clara was eager to help and for a change the Doctor was open to answering her questions as to what he was doing. She certainly didn’t understand everything he said but got the gist of what he was doing. He even gave in to her request to help with some of the work. Between her help and their chatter, they arrived at their destination and Clara was in fine shape for one of their normal adventures. 

When they were offered a chance to eat a meal, she ate lightly but took advantage of the drink they served as it certainly did the job of waking her up again. She’d been starting to flag a bit as her last coffee had been hours before. With a renewed spring to her step, she was more than up to following the Doctor along as they headed to some diplomatic meeting he’d been invited to attend and oversee. During the meetings, the droning of the political parties almost had Clara passing out but one of the aides introduced her to a stimulating drink that was even stronger than the one they’d had at the meal. Sipping the delightfully flavoured fruit drink, she found herself more alert than ever. 

Meeting over, Clara followed the Doctor to some reception afterwards to celebrate the successful negotiations. with more of the fruit drink to chase down her appetizers, Clara was more than able and willing to carry on as long as the Doctor did. In fact, he wanted to leave even while she was engaged in a thoughtful debate over resources with a number of the delegates. Finally, he got her away from them and they headed back to the TARDIS. 

‘Off to bed now?’ The Doctor asked, expecting her to head to her room. It had been a long day and she’d not slept beforehand. 

‘No, quite awake still. Where we off to next?’ Clara bounced around the console room. As they’d left the meeting, one of the men she’d been talking to had gifted her with a bottle of the fruit juice. She placed it to one side but not out of reach. She was determined to stay up for some time yet. 

The Doctor arched an eyebrow at her response, shrugged and, with a quick hand through his hair to think a moment, he mentioned an exploding star in a galaxy that he wouldn’t mind having a look at. Clara agreed and, another shrug from the Doctor, he was setting the coordinates. Again, rather than going for a lie down, Clara hung around as he went back to more maintenance work. This time he was down at one of his work tables with some small circuits that he needed to refurbish for use again. She helped him once more, handing him tools and holding parts for him. 

There was a soft pinging noise from the console while he was concentrating on one delicate connection so Clara skipped up the steps to have a look at it,   
calling down to let him know it was just a timer on the countdown control. While there, she took a small drink of the fruit juice and felt the buzz run through her. Rejoining the Doctor, they went back to their companionable work. 

When they arrived, the Doctor was flinging open the TARDIS doors and the two of them sat on the edge, legs dangling into the empty space, protected by the shell around them. As the star began to collapse in on itself just before the massive explosion, he took his shades out of his jacket pocket and handed them to Clara. Slipping them on, Clara shuffled up against her friend and rested her head on his shoulder. At first with a bit of hesitation, he put his arm around her. 

As the darkness of the star exploded into a kaleidoscope of colours and streaks, Clara was glad the use of his shades and felt his hand tighten around her arm. This was very worth it, she thought. She did miss a lot of his life when she slept. 

After three days, the fruit juice that Clara had been using to keep herself awake with the Doctor was depleted and she went back to coffee but found it not strong enough. With a quick jolt from some of the strongest coffee the TARDIS could provide, Clara suggested a market for their next port of call. By now, the Doctor had gotten used to her being there all the time. He didn’t even register the fact that she never went to sleep at all. So, it was easy for him to just set the TARDIS on course to one of their favourite markets.

Clara recognized the market and was familiar enough with it to part ways with the Doctor to go off on her own to shop while he drifted off to the parts market looking for gadgets and things he could use on the TARDIS. Clara initially went to the clothing and textiles but as soon as they were out of sight of one another she made for the food and drinks. Knowing some of the better merchants, she was quickly pointed in the right direction of drinks that would keep her alert and awake. 

One market had shelves full of small bottles. These were powerful stimulants the seller told her. Safe and not addictive. He didn’t market those types. All natural and not bitter. One drop a day, she was told, was all it would take to keep her fresh and alive. Purchasing it, Clara slipped the bottle into her pocket. A month’s worth she was told. 

Back at the TARDIS, Clara took her other purchases (some other foodstuffs to stock the kitchen with mostly) to the kitchen and found a hidden cubby hole for her to put her stimulant but not until she had put a drop in her coffee. Tasting it, the difference was hardly noticeable. Clara brought a cup to the Doctor and the two of them sat easily to chat a while before they decided on their next destination. 

Four days later, Clara had gotten into a regular routine of one drop of stimulant in her coffee when the two of them would take a break and share a coffee. By this time, Clara had been taking the different stimulants to the point where her heart never stopped beating a third faster than it would normally and, as they sat and talked she dominated the conversation. The Doctor, sipping his coffee, just watched her. The change had been very gradual but he was noticing it now. There was just barest red tinge around the rim of her eyes. A slight tremor to her fingers. The drumming heartbeat was the biggest signal for him. He was used to her normal rate and this was worrisome. 

As Clara kept on about past school trips, the Doctor listened and quickly realized that in the past week he’d heard the same stories at least five times over. Without warning, the Doctor stood up and held out his hand for her coffee cup. She looked at him and didn’t give it to him. ‘Clara? Give it to me.’ 

‘It’s just coffee. Something wrong with yours? Mine’s fine.’ She drank more of it, trying to empty it but there was too much left. He towered over her, his hand out for the cup. When she didn’t hand it to him immediately, he reached down and easily took it from her. He sniffed it and then shot her a look. 

‘Where’s the bottle?’ He asked, knowing exactly what she’d added to it. He also thought back to the market visit and knew where she’d got it from as well. 

‘What are you talking about Doctor. It’s just coffee.’ Clara denied anything was other than normal. 

‘When was the last time you slept properly.’ The Doctor asked point blank. 

‘Why just the other night. Don’t you recall?’ She banked on him not paying close attention to what she did normally.

Screwing up his face in thought, ‘Eight days ago. Before the diplomats dinner.’ He sniffed the coffee again. ‘Laced. You were given a bottle of the local wine at the dinner too. More than enough in that for a human to be wired on for a good long while.’

‘No, not that long.’ Clara tried to continue denying it. She’d been enjoying all the extra time with the Doctor. She certainly didn’t want it to end. 

He put the cup down out of her reach and grasped both her wrists in his hands. Holding them he could feel her heart beat hammering in her chest through her veins. Peering closer into her eyes, he could see the hints of red throughout them. ‘No more lying, Clara. You’re so hyped on stimulants that you’re heart is in danger of failing. Why would you do this?’

‘I’m not,’ Clara tried again but the Doctor let go her wrist and placed a finger to her lips, quieting her. 

‘The truth Clara, why are you using the stimulants?’

Clara sighed, knowing she wouldn’t win. ‘I just wanted to spend all the time I could with you. The times when I was asleep, I miss so much of your world, your life. it’s been so wonderful getting to see what you do all the time. You just never stop.’

‘I’m a Time Lord, Clara. I need very little sleep. You aren’t. You need sleep.’ The Doctor told her. 

‘But.. ‘

‘No, don’t try to argue.’ He was helping her to her feet and leading her to his own room. ‘If it bothers you that I do so much when you’re asleep then, I’ll sleep with you.’

‘Doctor!’ Clara protested, jumping to a conclusion.

‘Sleep, Clara. Just sleep. Then when you wake up, we’ll do things together. Just like we have been. Just do it at your pace not mine.’ He wouldn’t let her free from his grip and soon had her in his room. He found a loose nightshirt that would suit her for the moment. ‘You can use this tonight. Tomorrow we’ll sort out your own night wear.’

‘I’m really not sleepy Doctor.’

‘Of course you aren’t not with all that stimulant in your system. I’m going to detox you.’ He turned his back. standing between her and his bedroom door. Without any chance of escape, Clara changed into the far too large nightshirt and slipped into the bed. It smelled of him, a light citrus type scent that she always loved to catch when she managed to get a hug from him. 

‘Changed,’ Clara said as she fluffed one of the pillows on the bed for herself.

‘Good,’ The Doctor said as he turned back to the bed and, sitting on the end of it he got his shoes and socks off. Stripping down to all but his last t-shirt layer and his belt removed, he lay on the sheets beside her. Lifting an arm, he gestured for her to lay against him. Clara scooted to his side and with his arm around her, her senses were overwhelmed now by his scent. It was as if she was being drained already of her energy. His fingers lightly stroked her arm and his free arm came across his chest to push her stray hair from her eyes. As their skin touched, she felt her eyes start to close. ‘Sleep, Clara. We have plenty of time when you wake up for more adventures.’

‘Don’t want to miss out on anything.’ Clara mumbled, unable to resist the urge to sleep now that he’d triggered it in her mind. 

‘I promise, Clara. You won’t. I’ll be right here when you wake up.’ He reassured her with his soft Scottish voice. She was being cradled by his arms and her head slipped from his shoulder towards his chest. His hand moved from her upper arm to her hair, lightly stroking the loose strands back from her face as he watched her eyes closing. The stimulant built up in her was still strong despite his initial efforts. The Doctor took it in stages instead. Easing her back from the brink. To help her slow down, he steadied his own heartbeat until it was just enough for him to stay awake for what he needed to do for her. 

The result of his slowed heart rate meant that he was also breathing slower. He measured it to encourage her to the same slower pace. Her heart was still pounding too fast despite her wanting to pass out now so he kept up a steady gentle pressure with his fingers to keep her just awake enough to be guided to a slower breathing pattern. His free hand moved to her chest, just above her heart. There he pressed lightly with his palm, letting the slowed pulsing of the veins in his hand slow her down further. ‘Sh, Clara. Time to settle.’ He whispered softly as her eyelids flickered still with the still twitching movements of her eyes. 

He pressed a fingertip to her temple again, calming her mind down and placing the same slow beat in her subconscious. There, he felt the racing of her heart begin to finally slow to match his own. The Doctor began to increase his own breathing and heart rate to start to match what her own natural sleeping heart rate ought to be. Then they were in sync. He held her close, still stroking her hair as she steadied out. Next came the released tension of her muscles. It was at that moment that Clara found herself slipping into the bliss of sleep just as the Doctor kissed her on her forehead.


End file.
